The Notebook
by D0ll
Summary: For Scott it was love at first sight, but for Courtney... Not so much. Retelling of The Notebook, set in modern time.
1. Chapter 1

The Carnival

"I'm telling you those games are fixed."

"Or maybe you just suck at basketball." Scott remarked slyly.

"Screw you dude!" Geoff said letting Scott's teasing comment go through one ear and out the other as he tossed the tiny stuffed rabbit in his hand and caught it casually in his other hand.

"Hey ladies," The surfer said flirtatiously, eyeballing a pair of pretty girls who walked by them. It was a warm summer night the perfect night for a carnival and the girls worse in short shorts and spaghetti strap shirts and Geoff appreciated the views.

"Bridgette is going to kill you man." The taller friend said referring to Geoff's long time girlfriend.

"Shut up dude, I think I see her at the bumper cars." Geoff said elbowing him then walking ahead and whistling trying to catch his girlfriend's attention.

"Hey babe!"

"Hey babe!" Bridgette responded back waving excitedly and Scott rolled his eyes at the couple wondering why he even agreed to come to this stupid carnival, he didn't want to end up as a third wheel watching them make out all night again.

"Look Bridge, I won you something." Geoff said showing off his consolation prize like it was the life size teddy bear he wanted to get, none the less Bridgette giggled happily, she was a nice girl, kind and easy to please which worked well for Geoff since the only place he put effort in was his parties and his surfing.

The person in the car next to her used her moment of distraction to ram Bridgette's car hard in the side making Scott laugh.

"Hey!" Bridgette yelled, and the brunette girl just giggled and reversed to escape Bridgette's car now chasing after her.

"Who's that girl with Bridgette?" Scott asked nudging him in the side not taking his eyes off of the girl.

"That is Courtney Hamilton. She's here for the summer with her family. Her dad richer than God."

Scott continued to watch her. Watching how her brown hair blew in the wind, and the carnival lights illuminated her shin, he was mesmerized.

The boys waited for the girls to get out, Bridgette practically skipped to Geoff who put his arm around her shoulders and kissed her on the cheek with the ease of boy who's been dating their girlfriend for years. Their relationship felt comfortable easy as breathing. In comparison Scott felt nothing but anxiety and fear of rejection as he looked at Courtney who seemed pleasantly unaware of him, as she walked besides her best friend Bridgette. Scott over heard their conversation, they were talking about going on the ferris wheel, before they could go Scott swallowed his fears and decided to make his move.

"Hey, you want to grab something to eat?" He said hopping in front of her his hands balled up in his jeans. _Please, just say yes._

Courtney finally looked at him but she seemed surprised and caught off guard, Scott didn't mean to startle her, but it seemed like he had put his foot in his mouth.

Tthen Courtney's gaze turned critical and judgmental as she looked at him up and down. "Ewl, no." She hissed dismissively and turned back to her friend.

Courtney didn't deter Scott, on the other hand he became more interested if that was even possible, he loved a challenge. "Why not?"

"Because I don't want to." Courtney said accenting her words, she placed her hands on her hips looking aggravatingly at the persistent teenager.

"Dude, she's with us." Geoff said as they stopped, some their other friends joined them and some guy with black hair asked Courtney if she wanted to ride the ferris wheel with him.

Courtney turned away from Scott to smile flirtatiously at the other guy, "I'd love to!" She replied smiling brightly, he grabbed her hand and led with him to the line where Geoff and Bridgette already stood.

Scott's smile never left. After all, he loved a challenge.

* * *

Bridgette looked back at Courtney and whispered in her ear, "Scott Calhoun."

"Who?" Courtney asked puzzled.

"Geoff and him are friends, he works at a farm."

"Oh," Courtney replied glad the teenage boy who asked her to ride the ferris wheel with him was busy talking to his other guy friends in their group, "Did you see how close he was to my face?!" Courtney remarked, arms crossed over her chest clearly annoyed at the annoying ginger who invaded her comfort zone.

"Yeah, I saw." Bridgette said casually, "That's Scott for you. I'm surprised he even came over. He's totally crushing on you, girl."

"No way!" Courtney said in an effort to cover up how flattered she was, "Is that going to happen, sure he's cute, in a rustic sort of way. But he's so not my type."

* * *

Scott stood next to a stand selling candy apples and cotton candy watching the ferris wheel turn a mysterious twinkle in his blue eyes. Finally he saw who he was looking for Courtney. She was sitting next to the same guy from before, she must have seen him too, because she quickly turned away, put and sat closer to the guy, instead of her former disinterested expression she was wearing a bright, totally fake smile.

Scott patiently waited for the ferris wheel to turn once again, a when he saw Courtney's cart he ran forward, up the ramp to the ride and hopped into her cart.

"Get off! Don't touch me!" Courtney squealed. Even when she's yelling she's cute, Scott thought as Courtney tried to process what exactly just happened.

"You can't do that!" the operator of the ride yelled waving his fist angrily at him. Scott shrugged him off and took his seat in between Courtney and whatever his name was.

"Hey!" the other man yelled.

"Hi." Scott said briefly to the other teenager before he turned his body next to Courtney.

"I'm Scott Calhoun." Scott introduced himself holding his hand out for her.

Courtney looked shocked between his hand and his face, "So what?!" She yelled.

"So, its really nice to meet you."

"Courtney, who is this guy?"

"I don't know!" Courtney said clearly frustrated. "Scott Calhoun?"

"I would really like to take you out." Scott said interrupting their conversation.

"Pal! Do you mind?!"

"You can't sit more than two people in a chair!" the man called up at Scott as he stopped the ride.

"Fine." Scott replied hopping out of his seat and grabbing on to the black metal bar ahead of them, his feet dangling in mid air.

"Scott!" Bridgette yelled, "Get down from there! You're going to kill yourself!"

"Seriously bro? Cut it out!" Geoff added

Scott twisted his hands around to face Courtney, "Now will you go out with me?" Scott asked again, calmly as if he wasn't hanging in mid air by a thin metal bar as on lookers stared fearfully and curiously at him like he was a crazy fool. Maybe he was.

"What?" Courtney looked at this crazy boy with red hair. "No I won't!" she replied stubbornly refusing to give into his demands by his crazy antics.

"No?" Scott repeated curiously.

"No!"

"Hey pal, she just told you no." the black haired male added.

"Nobody asked you five head!" Scott shouted at the guy, making both of their jaws drop from his rude insult then he turned back to the brunette, "Why not?"

"Because I don't date crazy people!"

"Well then, you leave me no choice then." Scott said as he removed one of his hands.

Courtney and Bridgette both gasped and screamed in fear, Geoff yelling under him to stop fooling around.

"I'm going to ask you one more time, will you go out with me?" Courtney was torn, she hated being made to do anything she didn't want to do, but oh my God this crazy boy was hanging in 50 maybe 100 feet in the air before her with one hand no less! And she did not want to be known in law school as "that girl who let that crazy ginger boy fall to his death".

"Crud, my hands slipping!" Scott said sounding genuinely fearful as he looked up at his sweaty hand.

"Then grab the bar!" Bridgette shouted up at him

"Not 'til she agrees." Scott replied stubbornly.

"Court! Just say you'll go out with him!" Geoff cooed smiling ever the romantic and wingman. Bridgette hit him in the shoulder aggravated at his antics. "What?!" He asked throwing his hands, "It's like a scene out of a freakin' romance novel. I'll be disappointed in myself if I didn't help set them up."

"Fine! I'll go out with you." Finally! Scott thought, loving this moment. He knew it was unfair, but he never cared much about fairness or rules and he wanted her, more than anything he wanted in his entire life. Including rodent control. He loved this moment so much he decided he'd draw it out a little more, always one to test the waters, and see exactly how much he could get away with.

"Don't do me any favors." Scott said, "I'm ain't no dang charity case."

"No, no I want to!" Courtney said her usual steady confident voice shaking. She was worried and anxious. No need really, Scott spent most of his childhood climbing and testing with his cousins how long they could hang on the bar outside, after his chores at his farm were down he worked out, mostly on his upper body, with push ups and pulls up. His effort paid of his arms were strong and Scott was more than confident in his ability to hang on to the bar for as long as he needed. But Courtney didn't know that and he loved how worried she was over him, maybe she even liked him a little.

"Really?" the boy next to her asked.

"Yes!" Courtney yelled automatically not even looking at the man next to her.

"Say it." Scott insisted, crap his hand really was starting to slip, but he could make it another couple of seconds, hopefully.

"I WANT TO GO OUT WITH YOU!"

Thank God, Scott thought, but forced himself to casually grab the bar by both hands, "Alright, alright, no need to beg." He said smirking triumphantly

Courtney wanted to slap him, "You think you're so smart don't you?"

"I got you to go out with me, didn't I?" He said making Courtney scowl.

"That wasn't funny Scott, you idiot!" Bridgette said.

"That's okay, I got this." Courtney said confidently to her friend looking down reassuringly at her before she turned back around at this crazy… Scott and started unbuttoning and unzipping his pants.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Scott asked, trying to swing away some kind of way, but there was not a lot he could do with both his hands holding the bar and Courtney pushed his jeans down his legs, letting everyone see him in just his boxers.

_Damn, why did I wear have to wear the ones with the hearts on it today?_ Scott thought. _But they were better than the ones with the holes in them._ Scott reasoned as Bridgette and Geoff laughed at him along with Courtney and the boy next to her… and everyone else in the carnival. "Oh God."

"Not so cocky now are you?" Courtney replied giggling.

_Touché_, he thought warning Courtney that he was going to get her for that.

Courtney was still smiling, _God her smile is beautiful_. "Maybe you will, maybe you won't."


	2. Chapter 2

After she agreed to go out with him, Scott gave her some space and left her alone that night at the carnival.

Courtney is far from stupid, she notices Scott following her around like a little lost puppy the next day, obviously not as sneaky as he seems to think he is. Inspite of herself she finds all the attention he gives her endearing and amusing, no one has ever put so much effort to be with her, neither her friends or all of her ex boyfriends put together, she thought as she spotted his by now familiar red hair running up behind her.

"You 'member me?" He's seemed unsure of himself as he stood there in front of her scratching his head looking at her with an anxious expression. Courtney looks at it with amusement because how could she ever forget meeting him? She thinks that she could live to be a hundred years old and still remember how he hung on to nothing but a bar high up in the air pleading with her to go out with him.

"Sure, Mr. Underwear isn't it?" She jokes casually continuing her walk to the postal office.

"Yeah look, I'm really sorry about that." Yeah right, Courtney thought doubtfully to herself, "It was a really stupid thing to do." Scott was walking in front of her and he seeks so nervous and excited Courtney can't help but laugh a little.

"But I had to get next to you." He said with sudden sincerity halting in front of her. "I was drawn to ya." He drawls in his southern accent and Courtney giggles again at his frankness.

"What a line! You use that with all the girls?" she said dismissively, trying to walk past him, Bridgette told her he doesn't flirt with a lot of girls, but hey she needed something to say. And she's not very trusting of men since her last boyfriend she found making out with her best friend in her car.

"No, I ain't interested in no one but you." Scott said once again walking in front of her again. He is persistent, Courtney will give him that much, she thought as she tried to walk past him once more.

"You got any plans for tonight?" Scott said his words rushing out of him as he quickly stepped in front of her.

"What?!"

"Or tomorrow night, or this weekend, whatever."

"Why?!" Courtney demanded to know folding her arms over her chest.

"Our date."

"What date?"

"The date you agreed to?"

"I did not sigh any legaly binding documents, therefore I am not required by law to go on any date." Courtney informed him before she walkied past him, but Scott was still on her heels.

"Look, I know you have some dirty guy coming up to you on the street, you don't know me, but I know me." Courtney smiled at his confidence. How someone can be so self conscious and so confident at the same time, in the same breath she'll never understand.

"And when I see something I want, I gotta have it." Courtney laughed in spite of herself because honestly she's the same way, she goes after what she wants and doesn't let no one of anything step in her way, she then felt like she understood the way he worked better.

"You think your slick don't you?"

"I can be. I can be fun, if you want, ugh I can be attentive, smart. I can be kind. I can be light on my feet." He said proving it by doing a little dance for her that made her laugh. "I can be anything you want. Just tell me what you want and I can be that for you."

"You're dumb."

"I can be that." Courtney arched her eyebrows and skipped away from him, her handle on the door to the post office. "C'mon one date!" he calls after her.

She turned around smirking, "I don't think so."

"What can I do to change your mind."

Courtney shrugged, "Figure something out." she said and closed the door behind her.

* * *

"Are you sure she's coming?" Scott asked for what have must been the millionth time tonight.

"Chill bro! It's all set up. We're meeting Bridgette and her at the movies. Look! That's them, what did I tell you!" Geoff said clapping him good naturally on the back and running ahead of him to great his girlfriend.

"Oh my goodness! What a coincidence! Look who's here! Courtney you remember Scott, don't you?" Bridgette says and Courtney rolls her eyes, Bridgette is such a bad liar.

"How could I forget?" Courtney scoffed.

Then Geoff and Bridgette were making out because it had been atleast full thirty seconds since they made out last Courtney thought glaring, leaving Courtney and Scott to make their own awkward introductions. Courtney looked hesitantly at Scott who had a full happy grinn on his face as he said nothing.

"Stop smiling at me!" Courtney says placing her hands on her hips. "I know you planned this!"

"The law says I'm innocent until proven guilty." He said knowingly referring back to how she used the law to get out of her date with him the other day. "And I can't help smiling, I'm just so happy to see you again." His smirk still in place sticking his hand out for a friendly handshake.

"Hmph!" Courtney said but but still reluctantly shaking his hand. Politeness bred in to her by her strict mother.

"You look great!" Scott complemented her, he sounded so earnest Courtney couldn't help but blush. "I mean really really great."

"Thank you," Courtney said brushing her bangs back out of her eyes.

Geoff placed his arm around his friend, "Scott looks great! Courtney looks great. And I know I look great, so let's get going before we miss the movie."

* * *

Courtney sat in the old movie theater chair trying to get comfortable on the lumpy red cushion, she spots Scott again watching her and Courtney is glad he can't see her blush in the dark theater. She eats some of the popcorn to take her mind off of how handesome he looks tonight, and focused on keeping her eyes locked on the screen, curiously she checked to see if Scott was still watching her. _He was._

An hour later the movie has let out Geoff and Bridgette are walking hand in hand to Geoff's van, it looked like a relic from the sixties, colorful flowers, rainbows and a peace symbol painted on a bright blue field and the end their surfboards sticking out the small back window.

"Hop in dudes and dudettes!" Geoff says unlocking the car for them and Bridgette hopping in the passenger seat.

"Walk with me?" Scott whispers over to her gently taking her hand, Courtney couldnt help but stare into his crystal clear blue eyes.

"What are you guys waiting for?!" Geoff asks impatiently as he hung out the open window of his van.

"Yeah. What's going on?" Bridgette asks curiously looking in between Scott and Courtney who are standing awfully close together noticing how Courtney isn't fighting Scott advances, letting him hold her hand.

"We're gonna walk." Scott told them.

"So are you guys in _love_?" Geoff teased making Noah laugh at him, "Oh I get in you guys want some 'private time'." He said and winked suggestively at them as Courtney hugs Bridgette through the open window.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do." Bridgette whispers in her ear.

"Okay good bye." Scott said waving his hand at them walking beside Courtney, "And good riddance." He adds making her laugh telling her he wouldn't be caught dead in that stupid van and Courtney readily agreed.

"So, that was fun." Courtney said after a few minutes of companionable silence as they walked down the quiet sidewalk. "I haven't went to a movie in forever."

"Really?"

Courtney shakes her head no, "Not since I was little."

Scott stares at her in shock "What?!" He says disbelieving.

"It's just I'm always so busy. I don't have a lot of spare time."

"How so?"

Courtney nods, "I have a very strict schedule, my days are all planned out in advance. Breakfast, then I have my Math tutor, then I have my Latin tutor, then practice the clarinet, then I have lunch, tennis lesson, French tutor, dinner, then I read my pre law book then repeat. I used to have my CIT classes last year but since we are spending summer over here so I don't go to that any more."

Scott stares at her, "Wow. Sounds like the road to success." He was walking in front of her like that afternoon after the carnival; calmly, easy goingly, an Courtney wonders what life must be like for him, he looks so care free.

"You bet. We are applying to all these colleges, those are, the ones we want."

Scott raises an eyebrow, "Who's we?" Sometimes he refers to himself in the third personas Scottmiester, but never as a "we".

"My parents and I. We decide everything together."

"Everything?" Scott teases.

"No, not _everything_! But all the important things, yes."

"So everything else you get to decide all by yourself?"

Courtney slaps him in the arm warning him not to be rude.

He throws his hands up in mock surrender, "Sorry. Just tryna figure out what you do for fun."

"What do you mean?" Courtney asks, genuinely confused and Scott feels sorry for her for the first time.

"Fun!" He repeats, "Something to do not because you have to but 'cause you wanna."

"I just told you."

Scott shakes his head, "I don't know?"

"You don't know what?" Courtney askes him puzzled.

"I guess I kind of always figured you were... Free."

Courtney pouts, "I am free." She insists.

"You don't seem like it." Scott says truthfully.

"Well I am."

Scott is suddenly jogging down the sidewalk "C'mon I wanna show you something."

"Hey! What are you doing?!" Courtney shouts hoping he doesn't plan to pull some other kind of ridiculous stunt again like he did at the fair.

"Just c'mere!" Scott replies finally coming at a stop, in the middle of the street, Courtney realizes in horror. What is with this boy and risking his life whenever he's near her?!

"Scott! You're gonna get run over!"

"By all the cars?" Scott asks sarcastically gesturing around him at the vacant and desolate street before laying flat down on the pavement. "Pop and I used to come down here to watch the light change." he said looking up at the road sigh, "From green, to yellow, to red. You should try it."

"No! I don't think so." Courtney says as she stubbornly crossed her arms over her chest.

"Why not?"

"Because. It's stupid and against the rules and... Will you just get up?!"

"That's your problem ya know. You never do what you wanna."

Courtney lays down flat next to him on the street, not because she wants to, but because she has to prove a point.

"So," Courtney asks after a minute, "What happens if a car comes."

"We die."

"What?!"

"Just relax, well ya?" Scott says "Trust me."

Suddenly they hear a car's horn blowing at them and the both rush to the feet and run out the way as the truck driver yells obscenities at them and Courtney busts out with laughter.

"What what's so funny?!" Scott asks looking at the girl laughing uncontrollably next to him he was honestly scared when that car came that Courtney would get angry at him because it was his crazy idea but all she says laughingly is, "That was fun!"

"You're insane, you know that, right?" Scott teases smiling now along with her, her laughter infectious.

"C'mon let's get outta here." He said offering her his hand.

* * *

After that night Scott and Courtney are inseparable, they spend every spare moment they can together. And when they aren't physically together they are texting. And when they aren't doing either of those things Courtney is sure Scott is just staring at his phone waiting for her to text him or to invite him over. He surprises her with how he never seemed tired of her company, after all every friends or boyfriends she had ever had got tired of her eventually.

One day Courtney plays sick so she doesn't have to go to her tutors and sneaks out of her house to give Scott a surprise visit. He's shirtless the afternoon sunlight glowing on his skin and she watches the way his muscles move as he plows the fields, he's so focused on his work he doesn't notice Courtney waiting for him on the tire swing he built hanging on the tree branch as he climbs into his tractor.

After Courtney has patiently waited for him long enough, Scott turns off the engine and jumps out of the tractor and wiping the sweat of his body with his white T-shirt he took off long ago.

Courtney takes a moment to appreciate how good looking he was, how attractive and fit his body was and what a hard worker he is.

Then she sneaks up from him by behind him and hugged him, Scott jumps for a second before he turned around and sees her smiling familiar face that he returned and lift her up into his arms, Courtney wrapping her long tan legs around him giggling as Scott spun her around.

"I love you." he cooed at her breathlessly blue eyes filled with emotion.

Courtney felt her heart ship a beat and beamed up at him. She took his face in her hands, "I love you too." She said instantly not hesitating for a moment she's almost overwhelmed with the amount of passion and emotion she feels for him. She's attracted to him in every way. She loves him in every way. She proud of him in every way. She doesn't understand how people could think he's somehow below her like all her friends say except Bridgette.

Scott grins cockily, but there's a genuine happiness that lights up his eyes. It was the first time they ever said they loved each other.

Scott is all around her, his handsome face, his masculine scent like sweat and hay and oddly turns her on. She ran her fingers through his hair as she kissed him then traced his freckles on his shoulders feeling Scott shiver at her touch.

It had taken a couple weeks for Scott to get used to being physical with her, his pop was closed off in that aspect only offering him a pat in the back after a hard days work and Courtney was the first woman he's been with. It takes him time to tell Courtney doesn't think he's a pig and she wants, no needs, his affection.

They spent the rest of the day locked away in the barn, wishing the day would never end and the sun would never set.

* * *

That summer they spend mostly by themselves wrapped up in eachother. But sometimes they hung out with Bridgette and Geoff too, they ride bicycles together down the country roads, or hanging out together at the beach letting them try to teach them how to surf. But Scott and Courtney are both helpless at it and agree to stick to boogie boarding before they end up killing themselves.

Later after the sun has set and Bridgette and Geoff went home Courtney is playing in the waves and Scott stands back a gentle smile on his face just enjoying admiring her.

Courtney spins around up to face him eagerly, "Do you think in another life I could've been a bird?"

Scott raises an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

"Like reincarnation!"

Scott tilts his head. This girl is to much for him. "I don't know."

"Well, I think I could have," Courtney remarks splashing water at him playfully, "Say I'm a bird!"

"No," Scott says shaking his head baiting her.

Courtney has an eager glint in her eyes flapping her arms like a bird

"Don't do it!"

"Say I'm a bird!" She insists, her competitive streak shining through.

"Stop it," Scott's voice is weak as he struggles to holding in his laughter at her silly but entertaining antics, he then clears his throat and forces a serious expression, "Stop it now."

Courtney isn't one to take no for answer. She leans down and positions herself like a runner does before starting a race, "Say I'm a bird!"

"You're not!"

"Roar!" Courtney yells launching into the air and jumping on the teenager. Scott thankfully managed to catch her in his arms just in time. Then he pulled her in closer to him protectively. Courtney wrapped her arms tightly around his neck as her legs encircled themselves around his slim waist and lowered her face closely to his.

"Say it." Just like that, in the face of her charm, all resistance melts away.

Scott as always cave in to her demands, "You're a bird." he says affectionately lost in her soft brown eyes.

Courtney flashes him a satisfied smile before rewarding him with a kiss.

A few moments pass, before she tells him her final command, "Now say you're a bird too."

The roar of the ocean waves, the noise of the wind vanishes in to a gentle hum, all he sees, hears and feel is her. Scott is so caught up into her, he feels as if their very souls are intertwined.

This moment strangely feels nostalgic, as if her and him have lived this moment before, even if this is the first evening they spent together on the beach. It doesn't matter that he's rich and she's poor. She's from the city and he's from country. Because he feels as if he's always known her, always loved her, since the beginning of time.

Scott is a reasonable person, he can't say he actually believes in reincarnation, or express his thoughts properly through words so he simply says, "If you're a bird, I'm a bird."

* * *

"She's incredible."

"Courtney?" Geoff askes.

"Who else?" Scott asks sarcastically, "I'm in love with her man... what? Why aren't you saying anything? You could at least congratulate me or something." Scott says laughing lightly.

"Do you really want to hear what I think dude?"

"Yeah," Scott says his voice trailing off unsure what Geoff was getting at.

"Courtney," Scott heard Geoff sigh into the phone.

"Dude, you know I like Courtney, but that girl is going to end up hurting you. I know her ex Duncan, he cheated on her and I'm not saying its her fault, but she drove him crazy making all these crazy demands. She's a man eater, Hell it might not be her fault, it might be her parent's fault. I've meant them they are rich snobs rich and you're poor, it's not going to work out." Geoff's spoke softly, he wasn't a mean person, he didn't mean to hurt his friend. He was just being honest by trying to warn him. He didn't want Scott let his relationship with Courtney continue to get deeper and let his feelings continue to grow if their relationship was doomed for failure. But Scott it was too late Scott was already irrevocably in love with Courtney and his anger was boiling from what he perceived as Geoff insulting him, his girlfriend and their relationship which he was insanely protective of.

"I don't care what he thinks or what my parents think, I love you and I always will." She promised him. Their foreheads pressed together their breaths intermingling. Scott snuck into her room after he got off the phone, or hung up after cussing Geoff out. Courtney could tell he was stressed so she patted the space next to her on the bed, kissed him and asked him quietly what was wrong.

Courtney was young but she knew this kind of love didn't just happen she never felt this way about anyone else, he was the love of her life and so was she to him.


End file.
